Nearly Late
by Luckie D
Summary: Maria may be or may be not? Maybe John needs to read the box more. Both need a test to find out. Only one chapter long. JM/OFC


**5/27/08-So, my weekend sucked and I lost a pet. Not is the greatest of shapes, but here is one little story that I thought up out of the blue. I own nothing except Maria. She is my creation. What happens in this little story, I believe in pro-choice. Don't like it? I don't want to hear it. Just getting that little bit out there.  
**

Nearly Late

"John, we have a _problem_!"

The sound of Maria's yell made John's heart skip a few beats. Getting up from the couch, he rushed to where her voice was coming from. Opening the door to the bathroom, he saw Maria sitting on the edge of the tub and she looked scared.

_Oh, no. She shouldn't be,_ he thought as he kneeled down in front of her. "Babe, what's wrong?"

She looked deep into his brown eyes and whispered to him. "I'm late."

"Holy God, you can't be. We use protection every time. One can't have ripped!" He felt confused and couldn't think of anything else to say except that.

"Hun, you're babbling. Let's just think first." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "What am I saying? I'm scared and we don't have any tests. It's the middle of the night, so all drug stores are closed."

John, however, was still trying to figure out how she could be. "But, we use a condom last time." He looked at her and saw the slight annoyed look on her face.

"John, not all condoms work one hundred percent of the time. It says so _on the box_." She held up one that was in the cupboard under the sink and pointed to the small print.

Taking the box in his hand, he let out a small sigh and looked back at her. "I know. I just never thought that this would happen to...well, _us_." He gave a small shrug and pointed at himself and her.

Maria chewed on her bottom lip and placed her hands on both sides of his neck. "Ok, who do we know that carries the tests?"

"Certainly Liv does and Elliot must have some for Kathy." He replied as those two people came to mind.

"Alright, we have those two, but someone who can keep a secret _well_." She knew who to ask, but he had to figure it out for himself.

The sight of his eyes getting bigger gave her the hint that he figured out that small test. "Doctor Warner! She should have some spare tests at home, right?"

Nodding, she stood up and straighten herself out. "She should. She doesn't live that far away and, God knows, that woman is a saint. Where's my cell?"

Handing her the black cellphone, Maria called up the wonderful medical examiner in hopes that she would be able to help.

"We're in luck! She's on her way to her office and she drives past here. She'll drop it off on her way."

"Good. I don't want the others to know. Me at my age having a child? Fin would start cracking jokes _and_ snickers the moment he hears."

Chuckling, she cupped his chin and forced him to hold still. "That would be interesting to hear."

He gave her a wince of pain at the thought as she gave him a small smile. "It's just a big conspiracy to annoy you, hun."

He gave her a sideways glance and couldn't help but pull her into a hug. She was being strong about this, even if she is pregnant. They both stood there for a few quiet moments before they heard the door buzzer go off. "And that would be Warner." Said Maria as she pulled herself from John's arms.

Letting the woman in, Warner happily produced the long box. "This is my last one. When was last time you two had sex and how late are you?"

Maria took the box from her hand and sighed. "Last time was a week ago as I was due a few days later. So, I'm about four days late."

"And if you are?" Warner kept her voice low, knowing where she was treading.

Maria shook her head and chewed on her bottom lip. "I can't take care of another child. If I am, I'll have to terminate it. I just can't do it. At my age, I must be crazy to continue with sleeping with the nut ball behind me." She added sarcastically, knowing that John could not hear them.

"It could be stress that made it late. You never know, right?" Warner nodded before looking at John, her voice going back to normal level. "I can understand. Wish you two luck. Me? I have a skull to crack open."

"Have fun." John gave a small wave as she left, before looking back at Maria. "Alright. Now or never, right?"

"Yep, stay out here and I'll get you when I'm ready."

John stuffed his hands into his slack pockets and slowly paced back and forth, thinking of what could happen if she was. She had done a great job with their son, who he never knew, but they were workaholics and no time for a child now. With their ages, the child would have a greater chance to be mentally disabled and would consume whatever time they had.

_Jesus, I didn't even think the sailors could still go up stream, _he thought as Maria opened the door and motioned for him in.

Both sat there on the floor, staring at the test before them. John's arms were wrapped around her and his chin rested on the top of her head. Placing her hands over his, Maria knew that John would accept whatever she decided if she was. He would never shove her away if she terminated it, but she still could not trust herself with that. Still wondering how she was going to work with it if she was, John's voice broke her thoughts.

"So, if it's negative, you're just late. But if it's positive..." He took a small pause, " You're going to terminate it?"

Letting out a long held sigh, she nodded against his chest. "Right and it says..." She leaned forward to see the results, "negative."

They both let out a relieved sigh and Maria leaned back against John once again. "Thank God. Now, how are we going to protect ourselves _more_?"

John wrapped his arms tighter around her and placed his chin on her shoulder. "Well, I'm going to stick to the condoms and we can get you some patches." He watched as Maria got to her feet, tossed the test into the trash and held out a hand to help him up.

"That way we're both covered, right?"

"Yeppers. Tell me when you're monthly does start so I know to keep my hands to myself." He gave a suggestive look and raised both eyebrows.

"You sly fox, you." She took a hold of his tie and pulled him to the direction of the bedroom.

-End!

**5/28/08-Seriously, I am pro-choice so I don't want to hear about how it's ending a life. I don't want to hear it, period. **


End file.
